To the Editor:

Reading the coverage of the PPS’s proposal to transform our education system reminds me of a failed experiment in open classrooms which occurred in an adjacent school district when I was attending high school. The other school district built a new, open school building, which was touted as the latest and greatest in education. Ultimately, the building had to be re-designed and remodeled into a more sensible (and conventional) structure. The costs, both financial and educational, of this debacle were enormous.

The mantra of the proponents of the current proposal in Princeton seems to be that our current system is a relic from the beginning of the industrial era. Both of my sons graduated from Princeton High School and I spent considerable time at the school while they were students. I did not find any vestiges of the early industrial age. Instead, I saw caring, well-educated teachers, attractive and well maintained physical facilities, and a lively environment conducive to inquiry and learning.

Of course, educational systems need to change to meet the demands of a changing society. However, our school system had changed and adapted as necessary and can continue to do so without risking our children’s future on a repeat of a prior failed experiment.

Finally, I wonder if the funds being expended on presentations and consultants could be better used if they were spent on items relating directly to our students’ education — for example, teachers’ salaries.

Mary Ann Witalec Keyes

Franklin Avenue